Welcome to the Piano World Piano ForumsOver 2 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

I'm not the biggest fan, but not because it's on a solo violin. I don't like how sometimes it gets so dense to try to match all the sonority in the piano, such as the grand D major section a few minutes in. I feel that could have been handled a bit better compositionally speaking, in my opinion.

Browsing youtube, I ran across a midi version of Liszt's Toccata in Am that was accurate and....dreadful. Here is Mark Salman playing the piece. Much, much much better. (I believe this is Gooddogs teacher, is it not?)

I'm not the biggest fan, but not because it's on a solo violin. I don't like how sometimes it gets so dense to try to match all the sonority in the piano, such as the grand D major section a few minutes in. I feel that could have been handled a bit better compositionally speaking, in my opinion.

I can't help but agree. It really loses something without the thunderous bass notes and stuff. It's very well played, but I think it should be left for the piano. It might work well for a huge orchestra...

_________________________Algernon: I hope, Cecily, I shall not offend you if I state quite frankly and openly that you seem to me to be in every way the visible personification of absolute perfection.

Browsing youtube, I ran across a midi version of Liszt's Toccata in Am that was accurate and....dreadful. Here is Mark Salman playing the piece. Much, much much better. (I believe this is Gooddogs teacher, is it not?)

Not only is Mark a fantastic pianist, he is also the best teacher I've ever had. He is extremely knowledgeable and is guiding me to develop my own musical ideas rather than dictating them. In addition, I have great admiration for the way he lives his life combining his professional/teaching career with a rich, principled life devoted to his wife and 3 amazing children.

If any of you have an opportunity to take lessons with a concert pianist, (who also happens to be a wonderful human being), you will find it is a most enriching experience. If you live in the Seattle area, don't be shy about asking to become a student! He is especially fond of enthusiastic adults. (He does not take beginners).

Interesting. Personally I love 2, 4, 5, 6 (which I have played) and 8, though my favourite will always be 9.

It is certainly the most elaborate, and IMO the most inventive of the series.

14 is problematic. Liszt's arrangement as the Hungarian Fantasia for piano and orchestra has always struck me as a rather perfunctory effort, as if Liszt had his mind elsewhere. It is not an awful piece of music -though some commentators have thought so, particularly Hutchinson- but IMO it could have been a lot better.

As a confirmed Lisztian, I find it rather tiresome. Since Liszt was so busy transcribing everything in sight -and several times he absent-mindedly re-transcribed music he had already done- I cannot blame this on his publisher.

Unlike Beethoven, who bowed to his publisher for a piano version of the violin concerto. Beethoven needed the money (and why not?), but there is no evidence (aside from the new cadenza) that Beethoven took it very seriously. 'Moments of piercing eloquence reduced to music box tinkling' as I read once, or something like that.

I really like the 11th, but not among my absolute favourites, which are 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 12. Unlike previous posters, I find 9 to be frustratingly tedious, despite the great pianistic invention. I recently heard an orchestrated version and found it even more tiresome. Of course, I really like the rhapsodies (although I wouldn't say any of them are among my favourite Liszt works) and the 9th is always held in such high esteem, so i'm sure I will find enjoyment in it in time.

The 2nd piano concerto has been my favorite of all concertos for awhile now. I have the Zimmerman/Ozawa recording which is excellent. I've been looking for another great recording just for variety, any thoughts?

The 2nd piano concerto has been my favorite of all concertos for awhile now. I have the Zimmerman/Ozawa recording which is excellent. I've been looking for another great recording just for variety, any thoughts?

Not the most charming performance imaginable, perhaps, but it is still interesting to hear one of Liszt's own pianos. It appears to be in good shape for an old instrument, and has some marvelous qualities, especially in sustaining the sound.

Jesus, I was practicing Mazeppa with the music and I realized that the octaves are faster than 16th notes! They're triplets of triplets, if you get what I mean, so 18 a measure. I don't think anyone comes close to playing them that speed. Maybe Hamelin could do it if he tried.

Jesus, I was practicing Mazeppa with the music and I realized that the octaves are faster than 16th notes! They're triplets of triplets, if you get what I mean, so 18 a measure. I don't think anyone comes close to playing them that speed. Maybe Hamelin could do it if he tried.

They're sorta cadenza-like passages, so I don't think they really need to be in time. That's one of the cases where I think you can be flexible with Liszt's rhythm - just hammer out those octaves at a speed which does service to the music without destroying your hands!